Water cooler



y 1939- R. E. BILLINGS 2,160,639

WATER COOLER Filed May 6, 1938 Fig.2.

Fig.1. 7

Inventor v Ralph E. Billin s,

b Wei 1Y His ttor'ney.

Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,160,639 WATER COOLER Ralph E. Billings, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 6, 1938, Serial No. 206,442

7 Claims.

My invention relates to liquid cooling apparatus and more particularly to liquid coolers of the mechanically cooled type.

The objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following descrip-,

tion proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view partly in section of a water cooler embodying my invention and Fig. 2 illustrates, schematically, a possible electrical control system and refrigerating circuit applied to a water cooler embodying my invention.

In accordance with my invention I have provided a liquid cooling apparatus Ill containing a o cooling chamber II and a cylindrical cooling coil l2 located in chamber ll. bafiie I3 is supported upon the upper portion of the cooling coil l2 to direct the flow of the liquid to be cooled which enters chamber ll through 'an inlet conduit H to the sides of chamber H in order that the liquid will be in close heat exchange relationship to cooling coil l2 in its downward flow. A substantially cylindrical baffle I5 is supported within the cooling coil l2 in spaced relation with respect to distributing baffie 13. The provision of this space between the two bafiles permits free circulation of the liquid to be cooled between the inside and the outside of the lower baiiie. I have found that this arrangement of baflles increases the capacity of the cooling coil and also the amount of liquid which can be drawn from the cooler before the outlet temperature rises above a given temperature.

The casing of the cooling apparatus In comprises an inner shell I6 with a bottom plate I! suitably attached thereto as, for example, by.

A distributingto permit the escape of air which may have been entrapped in the cooling chamber H.

The cooling coil l2, having a slightly less diameter than the inner shell I6, is assembled within the inner shell. The lower end of cooling E coil '12 is joined to the bottom of a header 24 by means of a feeder tube 25. A small injector tube 26 extends downwardly through the top of the header 24 and the feeder tube 25' into the bottom turn of cooling coil I2. The upper end 10 of the cooling coil is connected to the upper portion of the refrigerant header 24 by means of a conduit 21. Liquid refrigerant is conducted into the apparatus through injector tube 26 and feeder tube 25 into the cooling coil where the heat from the liquid to be cooled is absorbed, thus vaporizing the refrigerant. The vaporized refrigerant passes from the upper portion of the cooling coil I2 through conduit 2'! into the refrigerant header 24 from which the vapor may 20 be drawn off through conduit 21a.

The distributing baille I3 is supported substantially horizontally on the upper turn of cooling coil l2 by a plurality of spring spacers 28, the convolutions of which fit between the convolutions of cooling coil [2. The substantially cylindrical bailie I5 is assembled within cooling coil l2 and extends up to a relatively small distance from the distributing bafile l3. Bailie I5 is supported by a plurality of clips 29 suitably secured to bailie IS. The clips 29 are attached to the lower turn of the spacer springs The liquid to be cooled enters the cooling chamber ll through inlet conduit l4, spreads across distributing baflie l3 and flows or circulates downwardly along the inner shell [6 and over the cooling coil I2. The liquid then flows upwardly inside of baflle l5 and through the 40 space between distributing baiile l3 and bafile l5 and down across the cooling coil l2. Thus, by reason of the cooperation between the distributing baflie I 3 and the cylindrical baflie IS,

a liquid circulation is set up which constantly causes the liquid to be cooled to recirculate through the space between the distributing baffle l3 and baflie l5 and thence downwardly into proximity with the cooling coil l2. A drain conduit 30 is provided in the bottom portion of the cooling chamber II.

A thermostatic bulb 3| arranged within a casing 32 extends into the cooling chamber ll thus providing a means to control operation of the refrigerating apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 2, I have shown in schematic form a cooling chamber i0 provided with liquid inlet and outlet II and 22 respectively and a liquid refrigerant i nlet 26 and refrigerant vapor outlet 21a. The vaporized refrigerant is withdrawn into compressor 33. After compression, compressed refrigerant is discharged into condenser 34 and the liquid refrigerant is received in liquid receiver 35 from which the liquid refrigerant is returned to the cooling coil through conduit 26 Compressor 33 may be driven by an electrical motor 36 in any suitable manner as, for example, by means of pulleys 31 and 38 and belt 39. The electrical circuit comprises a source of electrical energy 40, supply lines 4! and control switch 12. Control switch 42 is opened and closed, thereby supplying or cuttihg oif electrical energy'at the motor 88, according to the temperature of the liquid within the cooling chamber i I as measured by thermostatic bulb 3|.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention in connection with a liquid cooler, I do not desire. my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications'withln the spirit and scope of my invention. 1

7 What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A liquid cooling apparatus having inlet and outlet conduits for a liquid to be cooled, cooling means, distributing means beneath said inletfor causing said liquid to be cooled to circulate in proximity to said cooling means, and baflie means within said coolingmeans spaced from said distributing means in such a manner as to cause said liquid to be cooled to be recirculated into proximity with said cooling means.

2. In liquidcooling apparatus having a cooling chamber and inlet and outlet conduits for a liquid to be cooled, a cooling unit in said chamber, a distributing member for causing said liquid to be cooled to circulate in prommity to said cooling unit, said distributing member being arranged near the upper portion of said cooling unit and a baille member arranged within said unit and spaced from said distributing means in such a manner as to cause said liquid to be cooled to be recirculated into proximity with said cooling unit.

-3. In a liquid cooling apparatus, the combination of a cooling chamber having inlet and outlet conduits for a liquid to be cooled, a cooling coil in said chamber, a substantially horizontal distributing member for causing said liquid to be cooled to circulate in proximity to said cooling coil; said distributing member being arranged near the upper portion of said coil and a substantially cylindrical baille member within said coil and spaced from said distributing means in such a manner as to cause said liquid to be cooled to be recirculated into proximity with saidcooling coil.

4. In liquid cooling apparatus, a cooling chamber, an inlet conduit for the liquid to be cooled disposed in the upper portion of said chamber, an outlet conduit for the cooled liquid, a cooling coil in said chamber, a substantially horizontal bailie member supported on the upper portion of said coil andbeneath said inlet conduit, and a substantially cylindrical baiile member within said coil, said substantially cylindrical baiile member being supported by said coil in spaced relationship from said horizontal baffle member. 5. The combination of a liquid cooling chamber, an inlet conduit for the liquid to be cooled disposed in the upper portion of said cooling chamber, an outlet conduit for the cooled liquid, a cooling coil-arranged in said chamber, a distributing baflle' supported substantially horizontally beneath said inlet conduit, a substantially cylindrical baflle member arranged within said coil in such a manner as to leave aspace between the upper edge of said baflie member and said distributor plate to permit free circulation of the a liquid to be cooled between the inside and the outside of 'said cylindrical baiile member.

6. In liquid cooling apparatus, a cooling chamber, inlet and outlet conduits for a liquid to be cooled, cooling means, a substantially horizontal distributing means for causing said liquid to be cooled to circulate in proximity to said cooling means, said distributing means being arranged beneath said inlet and near the top of said cooling means, ,said distributing means being so shaped as to direct the liquid to be cooled into proximity with said cooling means, and bafile means within said cooling means spaced from said distributing means in such a manner as to cause said liquid to be cooled to be recirculated into proximity with said cooling means.

7. In combination with a liquid cooling chamber, an inlet conduit for liquid to be'cooled disposed in the upper portion of said cooling chamber, an outlet for cooled liquid, a cooling coil within said chamber, a substantially horizontal distributing means beneath said inlet conduit and near the top of said cooling means, said distributing means having a configuration substantially the same as the configuration of a vertical projection of said cooling coil, whereby the liquid to be cooled will flow across the distributing means into'proximity with said cooling means,

and substantially cylindrical baflle means within said cooling means spaced below said distributing means in such a manner as to provide an opening between said distributing means .and

said cylindrical bame to permit free circulation of the liquid to be cooled from-the inside of said bailie meansinto proximity with said cooling means on the outside of said baiiie means.

RALPH E. BILLINGS. 

